I'm not sure how the camera division could justify the release of a new 4/3rds body unless its a game changer.

weird thinking on so many levels

1) it isnt SLRs that got them into the current mess, its m432) theyre in the business of selling cameras, no cameras - means no business3) rebooting 43rds would give them 2 fields of cameras that almost intersect. Indeed if they ever figure out the AF thing they will intersect almost completely. Getting life into 43rds would at worst bring them back to 4 years ago, but this time they would have m43rds going for them as well.

So while there isnt a lot of risk or downside in keeping 43rds going, there is the upside that they would sell cameras in the market sectors they have been absent from of late, predominantly the more westernised countries. Pretty easy to see 20-50k sales in that over a year.

Ideally they should drive towards a position of nearly complete parts commonality, this expands the market base but increases the parts buy volume. Achievable through major cost of outsourced components such as sensors, shutters, LCDs, imaging processors, etc. The positive impact is camera sales up, parts costs down throughout the division..

If I were them I would be working on a 43rds mount camera in the US$600-700 range strongly based on one of the m43 products, and plan for an intersect model between Exx and Ex in the future. It was Ogawa that claimed they were in the business of dreams, if you kill the dream you are out of business.

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Rileyany similarity to persons living or dead is coincidental and unintendedsupport 1022 Sunday Scapes'

I would go along with most, if not all, of that ...

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Regards, john from Melbourne, Australia. (see profile for current gear)Please do not embed images from my web site without prior permissionI consider this to be a breach of my copyright.-- -- --.The Camera doth not make the Man (nor Woman) ...Perhaps being kind to cats, dogs & children does ....I am a Photography Aficionado ... and ..."I don't have any problems with John. He is a crotchety old Aussie. He will smack you if you behave like a {deleted}. Goes with the territory." boggis the cat .Gallery: http://canopuscomputing.com.au/gallery2/v/main-page/